Kia has designed its new EV3 budget crossover using recycled plastic and leather made from natural materials.
This is reported by Gagadget.
So far, this is not a production version, but a concept known as the Study Car. It was presented at an exhibition of environmental materials at Kia's research center in Namyang, South Korea. The company said that the project is part of a broader strategy to reduce its carbon footprint.
The automaker used new eco-friendly materials in this concept. The bumpers and rear doors, spoilers, and rearview mirror housings of the Kia EV3 Study Car are made of recycled plastic with the addition of naturally occurring biopolymers. The interior upholstery is made of “edible natural materials”.
The center console and steering wheel of the car were decorated with a leather-like material. It is made from crushed apple waste from the food industry and is called Apple Skin. The slot for wireless smartphone charging is wrapped in leather made from mushroom waste. The door cards and dashboard are made from recycled plastic, and the tires are made from a material based on natural rubber.
Photo: gagadget.com.
So far, Kia has not announced when they will start using these materials in production cars. However, experts believe that if such a project has already been implemented as a concept, then, most likely, it will be soon.
In total, for this project, the company developed 22 new technologies that made it possible to modify 69 machine parts.
Special emphasis was placed on the "Car-to-Car" method, which is designed to maximally transform plastic from old cars into new parts: bumpers, tailgates, door trim, etc.
Earlier, EcoPolitic reported that car manufacturers postpone full transition to electric cars.
